At Heritage, we believe that education is an important part of the estate planning process. On this blog we will be sharing some information, articles, and opinions that you may find helpful along your way.

Estate Attorney

02/23/2016

A former district attorney has entered a plea of guilty for stealing from an estate.

With a record of 20 years as District Attorney for Robertson County, Texas, John Paschall should have been someone who could be trusted but a client learned otherwise when Marium Oscar chose Paschall to oversee her estate.

Her estate was supposed to be divided between the local Volunteer Fire Department and a local charity. Instead, Paschall took approximately $200,000 from the estate for his own benefit.

His misdeeds came to light during a civil suit and he was subsequently charged in a criminal action.

Paschall plead guilty and will serve 30 days in jail and 10 years of probation. He was also ordered to pay more than $186,000 in restitution and surrender his license to practice law.

Even if you consider the sentence is on the light side, this case illustrates the need to be very, very careful when it comes to selecting the executor of your estate. Choosing an attorney may be a good idea. However, make sure it is an attorney you can trust, such as an experienced estate attorney who has a reputation for properly handling estates in your area.

Vetting the person you select to administer your estate can help ensure that he or she will not steal estate funds.

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